Dark Before Dawn
by The Immortal Duet
Summary: Valkyrie and Skulduggery fight side by side, as always. Even as they face two simultaneous murderers, they will stand together. Honestly, though, how much longer can they bear to still be so far apart? Valduggery.
1. Night

Valkyrie sighed dully as she stared out of the window. Warm, heavy night covered Haggard- a night like any other. Only this time she was at home, wrapped up in her bed sheets, her hair faintly mussed and her eyes sad, wondering what the limit to boredom was.

Skulduggery was out there, somewhere, maybe roaming the deserted streets, maybe catching up on his reading, perhaps even meditating. After all, a skeleton never has problems 'falling asleep'.

Or was that just a man thing? Her father never seemed to have trouble either…

He was her partner, her friend, her confidante, and more, so much more. The likes of Ghastly and Kenspeckle might harp on at her for spending all her time with a man who placed so much in the battle, in the fight, but it was in his little gestures like telling her to take an evening off that showed her that it wasn't all that bad.

Which brings us back to our point. Valkyrie Cain was cooped up inside her suddenly restrictive house in the time she usually spent running around screwing up Evil's designs, completely alone and completely without occupation. Oh, joy.

What's more, they were right in the middle of a major case.


	2. Facade

Valkyrie dropped from her window and displaced the air beneath her. Skulduggery was standing a ways off by the road, casually leaned against the gleaming black Bentley. His disguise was on. The jeweled sky cast shadows everywhere, and Valkyrie shivered in the cold, snappish night air. She had left her special black coat up in her bedroom in anticipation of the warm night her father had randomly predicted. Obviously he needed to research weather forecasting. 

"Cold?" Skulduggery pushed himself off the car and drew off his coat. When Valkyrie was within arms reach he draped it over her shoulders. She pulled it closer around her body and sighed in contentment. 

"Thank you," she told Skulduggery. He tilted his head in - she knew it - a smile. 

"Just another aspect of my charm, " Skulduggery responded. 

"Can we stop with the egotistical comments and get in the car?" 

Skulduggery pretended to sound offended. "I want my coat back." 

Valkyrie laughed, slid the coat off and proffered it to him with a teasing eyebrow arched. Playing along, he took the coat, but he didn't put it on, instead opening the driver's door and throwing it in the back seat. He got into the car and took off his disguise. 

Seeing this, Valkyrie hesitated before getting in as well. "Are you going to drive through town without your disguise?" 

"No," Skulduggery replied. "I'm going to see how many people know it's me. It'll be amusing." 

"What on earth are you talking -" 

Skulduggery interrupted her. "Watch." He removed his tie and unfastened the first button below his collar. 

Valkyrie recognized the symbols instantly as they flashed on Skulduggery's white collarbones, set off by his glove-clad fingers. She gaped as the transformation began.

Tanned, healthy, _real_ skin travelled outwards from the etched symbols. It spread beneath his shirt and converged up his neck, and Valkyrie noticed a pulse throbbing there. 

'_Real blood...Real organs…' _thought Valkyrie, dumbstruck. 

Skulduggery's facial features took form. A sharp jaw line, handsomely high cheekbones, thin but full lips, a straight, narrow nose, misty grey-blue eyes, and - best of all - a head of sleek, shiny, jet-black hair. 

Valkyrie immediately clapped both of her trembling hands over her mouth in shock and awe. She felt like fainting, like she had when they had first met. 

This gorgeous and unfamiliar man smiled, dimples sinking into his cheeks and pearl teeth flashing. 

"Hello, Valkyrie," the voice was velvet as ever but had more of a human purr to it. It was unbelievably sexy. "Just in case you don't believe it - my name is Skulduggery Pleasant. It's me."


	3. Murder

_The murders were quiet. That's how all the best are._

_All over the world, men were dying. Shameless men, harmless men, who would never have had to seriously fear crime in their lives. No one had any concrete evidence, but there were whispers…_

_This one was a player. That one made his girl abort his bastard child. This one threw his old mother into a hospital without second thought._

_And as we all know, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned._

_The Sanctuaries of the world tossed the case from one to another, and with each change the homicides in that country would grow greater, bloodier. The Councils were playing Russian Roulette, just waiting for the detective great enough to end the case. They didn't say anything explicitly, but everyone let out a quiet sigh when Ireland was selected._

_.xXx._

_Shadows inked languorously over the small room- nay, it was a dungeon. A young woman, elegantly dressed and coiffed, relaxed in the corner. A bloodstained knife was clenched in one pale hand. White teeth glinted in a fierce grin. She stared into the past._

"_Who's next," murmured she, "Who's next?"_


	4. Art Gallery

Skulduggery and Valkyrie walked into the old art gallery and stopped. Valkyrie knew this was where the new Sanctuary was, but she hadn't been inside yet. She wasn't much anticipating it. It would probably be as boring as the old one had been.

"Valkyrie," Skulduggery said, "can I ask you a question?"

Valkyrie turned to look at Skulduggery. He still had his facade tattoo in use and she fought down a swoon.

"You just did."

He sighed. "You know what I mean."

"Well, yes," Valkyrie said expectantly.

"Do you... Do you think I'm hot? As in, handsome?"

The feeling was hard to fight down, as Valkyrie gazed into his eyes faithfully and tried not to grin.

"Skulduggery, d'you want me to be flat-out, brutally honest?"

She watched doubt flicker over his face. It amused her, in a funny way.

"Yes."

"TOTALLY honest?"

"Of course."

"Even if the answer's not what you want to hear?"

"Yes."

"Well then, to put it lightly," she said, with a grin on her face, watching him tense. "You are completely, utterly and in all other ways..."

Skulduggery looked insulted, assuming an implication.

"BLOODY GORGEOUS." She finished her tirade off with a little smile. Skulduggery looked surprised but relieved and smug.

"Well that's good then."

Valkyrie said nothing to that. She simply grinned. Extremely pleased with himself, Skulduggery walked forward, with a smile plastered all over his 'hot' features. He walked to a painting that was actually pretty decent. It was of a girl, dressed in a black silk dress. She was kneeling on grass, with huge black wings spreading behind her. The feathers were shot through with silver. Her makeup was dark, and covered her eyelids and mouth. Lightning stretched across the sky behind her. Valkyrie thought the girl in the painting looked like some of the young women in the Necromancer temples. Minus the wings.

"Hello," Skulduggery said, his voice bright and friendly. "We're here to speak to the council."

Valkyrie stared at Skulduggery oddly for a few seconds, and then looked up and realised he had been talking to the girl in the painting.

The girl smiled at Skulduggery with her black lips, leaned back to settle into a more comfortable position, and spoke. "Hello. You are new to this particular Sanctuary?"

"We are," Skulduggery responded. "My name is Skulduggery Pleasant."

The (evidently) goth girl turned its heavily shadowed eyes to Valkyrie. And you are?"

"Valkyrie Cain," Valkyrie answered smoothly, dipping her head.

The goth girl smiled. "Then come this way, Detectives. The Council is familiar with you. The Grand Mage is in her office waiting for you."


	5. Rabbit Hole

The Gothically beautiful young woman stood, and her wings tucked neatly into her back. The soft landscape of paint around her _spun_, and she was suddenly next to a gnarled old tree-stump. There was, predictably, a rather large rabbit hole at the foot thereof.

Valkyrie just stared.

"Oh, come _on_." The painted girl tilted her head in welcome. Then, pulling the soft silk of her gown modestly around her legs, she perched herself onto the edge of the hole. She nodded to them.

Skulduggery was the first to step _into_ the painting. He looked no different, Valkyrie thought- she had been half expecting him to turn into paint. He held a gloved hand out to her and she took it, feeling her whole world turn just a millimeter on its own axis.

The air in the painting was cool and fresh, with a teasing hint of something Fey in it. It certainly bore no resemblance to the Acrylics or the Oils Valkyrie had used in art class.

She took Skulduggery's hand, lurching slightly unsteadily.

"Well then, down the rabbit hole we go," he murmured smoothly, indicating that the young Goth had already taken the journey with an expressive wave of his other hand.

She was struck by the sudden, terrible urge to kiss him. He was, after all, bloody gorgeous.

He tugged at her hand, gently yet firmly, and the moment passed. Smiling slightly dizzily, she followed him to the dark abyss.

"Catch me when I fall?" she asked, suddenly apprehensive. He winked at her, open eye sparkling. With one swift movement, she was hoisted up into his arms.

"Better," he sighed, and he took one nonchalant step forwards, and they were falling, and then-

They weren't.

"_Do_ come along," the Goth smiled coolly, "And please, try to keep off each other. Our esteemed Grand Mage might not appreciate the show as much as you'd think."

Valkyrie stared at Skulduggery, realized he was still carrying her, and scrambled off _most _ungracefully. He rolled his eyes at her, and they walked on.


	6. Grand Mage

"Welcome." The Grand Mage, Aphia Morrell, grinned. She was a rather attractive young woman, with copper colored hair that shone radiantly. Her eyes were a pale green and she had a petite frame. Her smile was pretty.

"Thank you," Skulduggery said respectfully, inclining his head. He then shook her slim hand. "It's a pleasure."

Valkyrie had taken a shine to Aphia already. She herself felt her face break into a grin. "Hello," she said. "My name is Valkyrie Cain."

"Pleasure," Aphia said brightly.

"Well, now that our introductions are complete, we can get to the professional side of things," Skulduggery commented, blue eyes flashing darkly. "We've been asked to investigate several discovered corpses. They were all male, and they all died of stab wounds. We have a suspect, but the information sources we normally rely on haven't been able to tell us much about her."

Aphia looked puzzled. "Well, I'll set some agents on it. You focus on investigating the existing victims."

"I'll send you any results."

"Great. Is that all you wished to see me about?" Aphia's hair flashed bronze in the light as she shifted, tapping her slim fingers on the oak desk.

"It is." Skulduggery responded.

"Then you may leave." Aphia nodded to them. Valkyrie smiled her goodbye to the nice Grand Mage and got one in return.

"She's nice," Valkyrie commented, as they left the Sanctuary, waved goodbye to the Goth girl, and emerged into the crisp night air.

"That she is." Skulduggery stopped and frowned. A slight breeze ruffled his hair. It tugged at Valkyrie's too.

That was when something slammed into her from behind, winding her. The world rolled around her and she smacked her head on the ground. She moaned in pain. Skulduggery swore.

"Damn drunk people!" he pretty much yelled. "Can't just bowl a fine young woman over like he just did and stumble on."

Valkyrie raised her head. "He just did." They watched the man meander down the road, singing. Valkyrie let her head fall back onto the soft grass that the art gallery was so proud of.

"Are you OK?" Skulduggery's quick footsteps matched Valkyrie's heartbeat. He gently tilted her so that she rolled onto her back. He brushed her long black locks off her face to check for injury. She reached up, took his head in both hands, pulled him down, and kissed him.

For Skulduggery, shock came first, then disbelief, then acceptance, and finally, surrender. Casting away all doubt, he let his eyelids drop and lust take over. Her kiss tasted sweet and brought back glorious memories.

And then she pulled away and they grinned in unison.

"Well," Skulduggery murmured, in his usual way, "this is interesting..."

* * *

**Mademise's Note: In the interests of clarification, this is a joint endeavor. I write the odd numbers and Lythia the even, so this is Lythia's.**

**You can tell by the way hers are so frikken awesome.**


	7. Arachna

Valkyrie was, Skulduggery supposed, slaving away in school, leaving him at loose ends. He had actually convinced her to attend for once with the information that he was visiting China. Valkyrie did not like China.

Sighing genteelly, he stepped into the art gallery, turning at once to the familiar old painting. The outlines were familiar, and it hurt to even look at it, hurt to gaze into the eyes of the Gothic angel-devil.

It broke his heart to set eyes upon his daughter once more, immortalized by her own mother's art.

He nodded to her, and she frowned slightly. She couldn't remember him at all, a property of her prison, yet he seemed so _familiar_. Regardless, she had a task to perform, and so she let him into the Sanctuary. Grand Mage Aphia had given explicit instructions that he and Valkyrie were to be let in without question.

With self assured strides he made his way back to Aphia's office, forcing himself not to glance back at the painted girl.

As if anticipating him, Aphia's door swung open as he approached it. Aphia herself tilted her head curiously at him- she had been about to step out. "… Hello."

"Aphia." He inclined his head.

"What could be the reason of your visit?" Her eyes flashed brightly, her head turned in a manner of disregard, though the smooth pucker of her lips betrayed a burning desire for information.

"You know very well who the killer is," he spat. "Why don't you just arrest her now?"

"She is estranged from the family," she laughed forcefully, "and I would hardly let her go free if I knew her location."

"I doubt it. You know where she is."

"Why would that be?"

"She is your twin, after all."

With a snarl, Aphia dove towards him, knife clenched in one hand. He laughed and she froze.

"You can't cut bone," he grinned, "Arachna Shini."


	8. Rogue

Skulduggery disarmed the woman with one smooth movement, flicking her wrist and following through with a lock. The knife flew and hit the opposite wall. Skulduggery frowned as a series of bangs resounded from the corridor outside. Moments later, a young mage burst into the room, dark brown hair everywhere and bright blue eyes alive with fear. Aphia appeared to sigh, and then she shuddered and went limp in Skulduggery's grip. He relaxed his hold and helped her to a seat. The violent alter ego that they all knew appeared sometimes had retreated. Aphia was back to her normal self.

"Lythia Harpen..." Aphia said with a smile. "What appears to be the problem?"

Lythia gripped the doorframe so hard her knuckles turned white. "The Necromancer High Priest just sent a message. A plea for help. A rogue student of theirs has gone on a killing spree in a rural town. They're trying to cover it up, but the culprit fled and they can't track him down."

Aphia stood, all color gone from her face. She turned to Skulduggery. Hesitation passed over her face.

He guessed what she was thinking. "We can take on two cases..."

Aphia grinned, appearing satisfied. "All right. You will undertake two investigations. _With_ Valkyrie Cain."

"OK," Skulduggery replied. "I think I know where to start. There may be connections between the events." He turned to Lythia. "I need you to visit the Temple and ask for any details about our suspect."

Lythia nodded, and left with a whirl of dark hair and green clothing. Skulduggery smiled to himself.

"Well," he thought, "Looks like we'll have an interesting couple of days."


	9. Athena

"Valkyrie- someone's called for you. She says there's an emergency involving a mutual friend- one Skulduggery Pleasant. I called your parents- they validated her story."

Valkyrie glanced up, eyes wide. Her _parents_, her dear, oblivious parents, had validated anything to do with Skulduggery?

"O…K. Where is she?"

The school secretary smiled. "She's waiting at the front."

They walked in terse silence, Valkyrie just wondering- violently- who the visitor was. Finally, they were at the front of the school. A young woman in a purple ruffled dress turned to nod at the secretary. "Thank you." Her voice was cold.

The secretary bustled away.

"Hello, Valkyrie. How are you?" The strange visitor's voice was friendlier as she curtsied slightly to Valkyrie and began leading her away.

"Uh… Fine. Who're you?"

"My name is Morte. Skulduggery sent me to get you- he is quite wrapped up in your latest investigation."

"Latest investigation?"

Miss Morte (there was something about her that made Valkyrie instinctively add the 'Miss' to her name) sighed, and her face became cold again.

"There was an… Incident with the Necromancers, I'm afraid. You must have questions, but I have not the authority to give you the details. If you have others, though, I will do my best to answer."

"Ok then. What was that thing about my parents?"

"I'm sorry to say that your school secretary is very impressionable. She merely _thought_ that she had called them."

"Oh… How are you related to the Necromancers? Are you one yourself?" 

"I am not." There was a vehemence to Miss Morte's voice that made Valkyrie shrink back a bit. "I am connected only to the Sanctuary. There is nothing- _nothing at all_- between me and those _filthy, traitorous-_" She paused, glancing slightly guiltily at the look on Valkyrie's face.

"Anyway. I'm just connected to the Sanctuary."

Valkyrie nodded slowly, then blinked in shock. They were standing before a police-taped 'keep out' area a good three hours drive from Haggard.

"Why are we here so fast?"

Miss Morte shrugged, the dark fabric of her dress rippling. "I might have messed with the boundaries of space and time a little."

"… Oh."

"Yes, well… Here's Mr. Pleasant!"

Skulduggery nodded as he walked over. "Thank-you, Mistress Morte."

Miss Morte smiled coolly, bowed and walked off. Over her shoulder, she called, "A pleasure!"

Skulduggery turned to Valkyrie, and his skull tilted slightly in the way it did when he smiled. "I suppose you want facts."

"So damn true."

"Well then, I must oblige."

"Do."

"This town," he gestured absently to the general area, "Was the victim of a bunch of killings. A student Necromancer."

"Oh…"

"Indeed. They can't find him, but I do have a hunch."

"Why are we taking two cases on at once?"

"We're not, Valkyrie, no matter what anyone might tell you otherwise."

"Why?"

"Because they are the same case."

"… _What_?"

"A few years back, in the thick of the war. There were killings, a sort of reverse Jack-the-Ripper. It wasn't the whores who died, but the sort of men who hired them."

"This is relevant… How?"

"Wait and listen. The culprit was a woman. They let her free because she was pregnant. With twins, as it turns out."

"Ok…"

"Those twins were both female. When they were still very young, about four, we were able to take one of them into protective custody. The name her mother had given her was Arachna Shini."

"Weird name."

"Yes. With a great deal of effort, we were able to split her personality. Everything that she remembered of her family, her criminal past, everything that made her her mother's daughter, we restrained to the name Arachna Shini. Everything that was left, we tried to form into a new being. Aphia Morrell.

"_The grand mage_?"

"Correct. We hoped that, with time, Aphia would be able to reject Arachna. Unfortunately, it was not so."

"Do I even want to know?"

"She continued to waver. When she was nineteen, the murders started again. It was her twin, for their mother was dead."

"I see."

"Strange things happened with Aphia when she slept. It was as if there were more people within her than just Arachna and herself- the voice she spoke with in her slumber changed- at times that of her twin, others, criminals of that time. She spoke always of the wonder of death, of murder, of revenge. She never remembered anything when she awoke."

"Creepy…"

"We finally figured it out. Arachna… Has the powers of a Telepath. She can connect to, and _control_, those experiencing the joys of sadism. The only exception is her elder sister, Athena, who herself can control Arachna, though she isn't a Telepath. _She_ can see the past."

"How is this related to the rogue Necromancer?"

"Don't you see, Valkyrie? There is _no such thing_ as a rogue Necromancer. When you enter the Temple, they bind you so that your mind is not your own. A Necromancer can never defy the Temple until they have left it. The only way a mere Novice could escape like that would be if his mind was being controlled by another, and Athena seems to be the only active Telepath right now who would have any motive."

"Motive?"

"This town is where her mother died. She was stoned to death as a witch."

"How long ago was _that_?"

"A while…"

"And she kept the grudge that long?"

"Yes. She had to, because there was one thing she was waiting for. One last thing to make her reverse Jack-the-Ripper scheme _work_. She didn't want to risk being caught before then, after all."

"What was she waiting for?"

"For Arachna Shini to become Grand Mage."


	10. Steamed Windows

The silence was absolute in the car. Skulduggery was focused on driving, and most likely turning the latest case over in his nonexistant yet brilliant mind.

Valkyrie was busy texting Tanith.

_'this new case is weird.'  
_

_'so is u kissing Skul :P'  
_

_'shut up. *blushes*'  
_

_'ha ha. You know i'm right darlink.'  
_

_'doesn't mean I prefer to hear it.'  
_

_'i'll bet you pash him again very soon. XD'  
_

_'...'  
_

Tanith didn't reply to that. Valkyrie shook her head dubiously and slipped her phone back into her jeans pocket. Skulduggery looked over in half-interest for a second. Then he leaned back, simultaneously pulling off his motley disguise and activating his facade tattoo. The streetlights shone into his clear blue eyes, setting a crescent dancing there. Haggard made greeting to the pair.

"Who was that?" Skulduggery indicated and proceeded.

"Tanith."

"Ah. How is she?"

"Cage fighting."

"That woman seems determined to mash her face rather than let age get to it."

"So it would seem."

"Indeed. Here we are." Skulduggery pulled up outside Valkyrie's house with a slight crunch of gravel. He turned the key and put the gear into neutral. The small light above them he turned on with the flick of a finger.

Suddenly the tension was palpable. Skulduggery avoided Valkyrie's eyes.

She finally broke the quiet. "You think things are going to get intense?"

"I think they are." Skulduggery slowly raised his eyes to hers. "We'll need to be strong to go up against this new obstacle." He made a few quick risk calculations in his head. The odds were stacked for him...

Valkyrie's eyes softened. "We've always been strong. We just haven't always seen it."

With a smile, she gripped the door handle as if to get out. She reached up to turn off the small light, but Skulduggery's hand closed around her slim wrist. His stare was piercing and equally matched her own as he directed her wrist to the side, leaning in to kiss her.

Valkyrie simply let go of all thought. She too leaned into the kiss, which, she found, was conveying some sort of passion. The pressure around her wrist released, so she shifted her arm to Skulduggery's back. He pulled her closer, she ignoring the various bits of car sticking into her anatomy.

And then, the kiss was over. With a slight noise, Skulduggery pulled back and looked at Valkyrie. She smiled, then frowned.

"Stupid windows are steamed already!"

That prompted a laugh from Skulduggery. She stuck her tongue out and opened the door, shivering in the blast of icy air. As soon as she stepped out of the car, she texted Tanith.

_'You were right! Haha genius :P'  
_

She walked around to the other side, waving a goodbye. A grin formed as her part-time lover lazily drew a heart in the fogged up window.

* * *

**Mademise's Note: Does anyone else notice that I'm the one stuck writing all the intrigue and murder and whatnot whilst Lythia is working on the romance part of all that?**

**No?**

**I must be imagining things again...**


	11. Graveyard

_Valkyrie screamed, in pain and horror. Dreadful, dreadful images flashed across the interior of her clenched eyelids._

_Valkyrie sat bolt upright, her cheeks stained with tears. "Gordon's grave…" she whispered. "Something's happening there."

* * *

_

Athena Shini was a practical woman. She could think, calmly and logically, through any given murder, and if she could find people to mold to her bidding, it would go perfectly.

When she had to perform it herself, though, everything changed.

The hunt became a need, became a desperation. She was caught up totally by it, and the situation of the death became different. It became a _risk_.

Even with that, it was entirely worth it.

* * *

_Valkyrie approached the graveyard with trepidation. It was late._

_She was wearing her black clothes. Her hair was tied up neatly._

_She was ready for the worst.

* * *

_

Athena ran. Her mind raced, the knife clutched tight in her hand. Visions flashed past her open eyes.

A middle-aged man, leering by the graveyard entrance, waiting for the pathetic Goths and Emos who got off on graveyards and death that would surely enter for some time alone. He had never been punished, because the girls he raped were not the ones the authorities believed.

Athena hated that, and so she ran with murder as her goal.

* * *

_Valkyrie stared at the grave with shock. All was silent, and all was calm._

_A hand clasped on her shoulder. She screamed slightly as she turned to face the man. He was grinning._

_Suddenly, he froze, and blood trickled from his lips. Slowly, he fell, and a young, lovely woman tugged her knife out of his back. She smiled easily._

"_Hello," she sighed, "You must be Valkyrie. Pleasure to meet you, darling."_

"_I wish I could say the same of you, Athena. You know, I really should be arresting you right now. I have the power."_

"_But you won't. You won't even mention this meeting, ever. Do you know why that is?"_

_Valkyrie just stared at her evenly._

"_You're afraid of yourself, dearheart. You're afraid of the part of you that is actually glad that the pervert is dead. You're afraid of the part of you that wanted you to kill him yourself. Surely you understand?"_

"_You're wrong." Valkyrie's voice grew vehement. "You're wrong!"_

"_Then tell me this, dear. Will the skeleton know of this by this time tomorrow?"_

Of course_, Valkyrie wanted to say. _

"_No," she choked out._

"_Good girl. Let me know if you ever decide to take yourself up on that- you'd be interesting to work with."_

_Athena sauntered off.

* * *

_**A/N: This is probably M-rated already. Should I mark it as M?**

**~Mademise Morte  
**


	12. Die By Your Own Hands

Valkyrie woke at the godforsaken time of seven o'clock, no thanks to another nightmare. Muttering, she pushed the duvet off her shivering self and stumbled out of bed.

The bathroom was empty with no sign of life. After a long, relaxing, bath, a tiny bit of the huge pressure on Valkyrie's chest had been lifted. But not a huge amount. There was no doubt that her meeting with Athena would hang over her head for a while.

Only once hidden away in the sanctuary that was her bedroom, did Valkyrie let herself think. A whole new spin had been put on the case, and now, suddenly, it felt as though the whole world was leaning on her.

"For god's sake..." Valkyrie cursed and slid from standing to the floor. The door handle was at the perfect height for her to rest her head on. A lone tear threatened to take dominance.

Valkyrie needed somebody to talk to. Seeing as everybody else was either asleep or not in the vicinity, she saw only one option. Getting up once more, onto tired limbs, Valkyrie walked over and opened her wardrobe.

Two seconds after she'd touched the glass, her reflection winked and stepped out into the room. Valkyrie smiled, but then it turned to a look of horror as the reflection leaped forward and knocked her to the ground. The fact that she was kicking and struggling to breathe this early in the morning didn't unnerve her - but the manic grin did.

Valkyrie's own hands were strangling her.

* * *

**A/N: Yes. It is sort of creepy.**

**AND I AM SO GOING TO MAKE IT EVEN CREEPIER. HA.**

**(On a seemingly more cheerful note, though they are directly interrelated, Lythia's dared me to write a lime.)**

**~Mademise Morte, August 15  
**


	13. Mirror World

Valkyrie attempted to draw a spark of fire into her free right hand, but she couldn't. She reached out for the Necromancy ring, but it was too far away. In a last-ditch effort, she shoved at the air, to no avail.

Noticing this, the reflection smiled, and conjured a globe of water with the left hand. She pressed it against Valkyrie's neck- it was scalding hot. Valkyrie screamed.

Reflections weren't supposed to use magic, were they?

The window slammed open, and Skulduggery entered. "What is happening?" he roared.

_Thank god_, Valkyrie thought, but her hopes were destroyed when the reflection cried out, "My reflection attacked me!"

_Oh no…_

Valkyrie was pushed towards the mirror, and before Skulduggery could stop the reflection, before he could look closer at Valkyrie… Her flesh touched the cold of the mirror, and she was _sucked in_…

The mirror-world was bleak, everything covered in a million points of insubstantial light. It was also an illusion. Valkyrie found that she couldn't move at all. She could only watch the outside world.

She could only watch as the reflection collapsed sobbing against Skulduggery.

Could only watch as they kissed, soft, tear-stained kisses.

Could only watch as Skulduggery left, a little while later, and the reflection gave Valkyrie's direction a smirk.

Valkyrie could only watch as her life was taken away from her.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, so the lime failed.**

**Again.**

**~Mademise Morte, August 19  
**


	14. Lythia

He was nervous.

The woman hiding away in the house was powerful. It had been years since he'd been enraptured by her steely gaze, since he'd fought the chill of the Temple with her warm embrace, since she'd smoothed over his latest regrets. The fire of their partnership had died off, ever since he'd become more reclusive. The hunt for the Death Bringer had become him, and now that he had some headway, he was

confident he could dredge this part of himself up again.

Solomon Wreath hesitated at the threshold. This was Lythia Harpen's second home, her 'Ireland' home. He had never been to her New Zealand one.

Pushing away all doubts, he thought of it logically as he knocked. Lythia was important. She was high up in the Irish Sanctuary. He needed help.

Glancing away as the door clicked, Wreath bit his lip. He looked back, and his childhood love stiffened as she met his unwavering gaze. Her fingers gripped the doorframe.

"Solomon," she said dryly. "What a surprise. Come in."

Awkward, he opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it before stepping into the house.

Lythia was wearing a Grecian-style dress, made of a soft, white material. A rose fastening glittered on her chest, but he forced himself not to look at her too much. He was here on business.

"What brings you to my domain?" Lythia's voice was strong and vaguely sarcastic. "You haven't bothered to visit for fifteen years."

Wreath swallowed hard before answering. "I... Am a Necromancer. Duty called."  
"And you didn't call."

Lythia rose, crossed to the kitchen. "Tea? Coffee?"

"Tea."

"Alright." She flicked the jug on before turning her black-outlined eyes to him. "You're only here because you need to borrow my power, aren't you?"

Struck dumb, he didn't reply. She continued. "Your search for your oh-so-important Death Bringer has finally borne fruit, and you decided to come to me before your resources ran out."

Silence ensued. Lythia arched an eyebrow before stepping aside to make the drinks. Her movements were lithe, graceful, and her steps were light, as though she was afraid of hurting the floor. It came from years of combat in various terrain.

After a minute she returned, handing one of the mugs to Wreath. Folding her short legs beneath her, she settled on the couch. He stayed standing, cane in hand.

Lythia gestured. "Well? Sit. I'm not going to hold a grudge. I'm not like that."

"Alright." Wreath put his cane on the floor beside his feet, seated himself, and looked at Lythia. She drank some tea, then spoke.

"You will be pleased to know that I have decided to aid you. But in research only."

He nodded, trying to ignore the fact that her blue eyes were enchanting him again...

"I have no interest in Valkyrie Cain becoming the Death Bringer. She's a lovely girl..."

At the word 'lovely', Wreath snapped. Shadows twisted around his wrists as he stood. Walking slowly, he approached the woman opposite. Lythia smiled. She shifted so that there was no way Wreath could see down her top, then spoke.  
"You think I do not know that fire in your eyes." She looked up, calm as ever. "You think I do not know how you feel."

Without blinking, he lunged. She dived to the floor, throwing her elegant teacup into the air. She dodged Wreath with a roll to the side before catching her tea again. She drank from it and turned, yelling indignantly as Wreath slapped it out of her hand. Dark brown hair obscured her vision, but she managed to kick out and get him in the shin. He cursed, but she had barely regained her balance when Wreath kicked her footing from under her. She swore and fell back. Wreath got a hold of a fistful of hair, and simultaneously grabbed her waist. Lythia started as he pulled her into a forced embrace and kissed her.

Praying inside his head, Wreath counted the seconds. At five he let go of her radiant hair, at ten he pulled her closer, at fifteen he put his hands on the small of her back. Her quickened heartbeat matched his own, but her pulse was probably increased from shock.

At twenty-four seconds, Lythia did the pulling away. Her cheeks had regained their familiar rosiness.

"I think fifteen years was too long a break," was all Lythia said. "You should know better."

**A/N: Shit. The preview isn't working. Hope my sad, piteous HTML skills suffice. As if. **


	15. Echoing

The Reflection grinned to herself, deep in thought. She was curled up in bed against Skulduggery- it was sometime in the Very Early Morning, and he was basically asleep.

Was there anyone left who could say she wasn't Stephanie? She would have thought that perhaps Skulduggery could have, but he hadn't, so that was that. Was there anyone else?

She froze. Of course there was. Not just one, but _three_.

* * *

_Arachna Shini. Capable of connecting to, reading and controlling the minds of sadists and those who are committing acts of sadism._

_Athena Shini. Capable of seeing the past and connecting to, reading and controlling the mind of Arachna._

_Gordon Edgley. Shockingly intelligent and knows his niece far too well._

_I can deal with Athena, easy. Well, she'd be a good ally, in any case. If I can get her on my side, that handles Arachna too._

_There really is only one left now.

* * *

_

Valkyrie screamed with rage and frustration as she attacked the glass for the umpteenth time.

The secret room of Gordon's mansion was quiet. The window clicked open quietly. Echo-Gordon emerged happily from his stone. "Hello, Val-" he began. He stared.

"You're not Valkyrie."

"Shockingly, no, I'm not."

"Who are you?"

"Athena."

"You look like Arachna."

"Obviously. This is Arachna's body, after all."

"Why are you here?"

"To dispose of you."

"Why are we talking?"

"So I can savor it."

Athena finally saw the pale stone through Arachna's eyes. She darted towards it and cut it off from the 'charger'.

* * *

The glass shattered finally, and Valkyrie was free.

* * *

Athena raised a knife with Arachna's arms, about to shatter the Echo-stone.

"_Stop_!"

It was Valkyrie.

* * *

**A/N: I feel like killing Echo-Gordon off...**

**Well, that's up to Lythia, I guess...**

**~Mademise Morte, October 6  
**


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